Strawberry Millefeuille with Mint Cream [1×3 Ways]

For this last recipe in the [1×3 Ways] Puff Pastry series I was really craving something light and fresh and full of the gorgeous strawberries of the season. Élie has been eating these by the handful and we have to sneak some for ourselves when he isn’t looking! They are just the right amount of sweet and so, so juicy. To pair with that, I had to have something equally refreshing and simple: mint whipped cream sounded perfect. Layers and layers of mint cream and strawberries: Strawberry Millefeuille with Mint Cream.

Now, this is a really simple version of the beautiful classic millefeuille so don’t be afraid. You could easily make the pastry strips the day before and just stack up all the goodies just before serving. And to be honest, like all the recipes in this series, you can construct this any way you like! Make little individual tartlettes of the ingredients or just one large flat tart if you want it really laid-back. It’s really up to you. Either way, you really can’t go wrong with mint cream and fresh spring strawberries.

Strawberry Millefeuille with Mint Cream

serves 4

– 1 x 250g package of puff pastry (thawed if frozen)

– 2 tsp. sugar

– 1 c. heavy or whipping cream

– scant 1/4 c. mint simple syrup*

– 1 1/2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced

– small handful of fresh mint leaves

Preheat the oven to 210°C / 410°F with your baking pan turned upside down in it. Preheating the pan with the oven will give you a beautifully crisp crust and turning the pan upside down will make it easy to slide the finished pastry off onto a cutting board. This is the same technique I use for pizza; using a pizza stone if you have one would be fantastic as well.

Roll the pastry out on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper the size of your baking tray to a roughly 9″/23 cm by 12″/30 cm rectangle. Sprinkle the pastry with the sugar and lightly roll your rolling pin across to push the sugar into the top of the pastry. Gently prick all over the pastry with a fork. Slice across width-wise to create 4 equal sized strips (roughly 9″/23 cm by 3″/7.5 cm strips). Gently reposition them so there is a little space between each and transfer the parchment and pastry to your hot baking tray using a small cutting board slid underneath to help you support it. Bake until puffed and golden and the sugar has melted and turned glossy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

To make the mint cream, whip the cream to stiff peaks using your preferred method (I like the blender but watch it like a hawk or you will end up with butter!). Adding it in two batches, gently fold the simple syrup through the whipped cream. Chill until needed.

To assemble, layer roughly 2 1/2 tbsp of mint cream on one of the pastry strips and top with 1/3 of the strawberry slices and a few small mint leaves scattered about. Place the next pastry strip gently on top and repeat the mint cream, strawberry, and mint applications. Repeat for a final layer then top with the fourth pastry strip. Serve immediately with the extra mint cream in a bowl on the table because can you ever have enough of that? Be sure to use your sharpest knife and lightest hand to serve.

* Mint Simple Syrup: Bring 1/2 c. water and 1/2 c. sugar to a boil with a handful of torn fresh mint leaves in a saucepan. Remove from heat and let infuse until the syrup has cooled. You can also use this on ice cream or mixed in sparkling water for a homemade soda.

See the previous recipes in this edition of [1×3 Ways] Puff Pastry here: Roasted Red Pepper and Tapenade Tart & Gravlax and Whipped Chive Mascarpone Tartlettes

xo,

A.

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Bursts of Living and a Roasted Vegetable and Chevre Tart with Herb Salad

I crave interesting flavor. I think I always have because I was the kid that didn’t buy lunch at school and came with a bag packed with such exotic things as tabbouleh and who loved lobster before she could walk. (Actually, that last one may be because I am a Mainer, but still.) There are days when I just need something that is complex but not fussy, something that you taste and know that you are alive. Those little bursts of flavor, of living.

Herbs do that for me. Amazing little leaves with such a wide variety of character. And I use them everywhere I can. In the herbed gnudi with parsley, dill, and chives below, in pureed soups of chervil, or tarragon, basil, and mint mixed into a quinoa, tomato, and feta salad. Mixing them in unexpected combinations makes the possibilities endless and I find that leafy herbs play nicely together and woody herbs, likewise, play nicely together. Of course, you wan always taste them before adding.

One of my go-to recipes for summer is a wonderful tart of tomatoes and goat cheese in a flaky pastry. It’s always refreshing and never disappoints. When the weather went into an end of summer hot streak, I pulled the fresh summer vegetables we had from the fridge and roasted them simply. I knew they’d be a perfect variation on that summer favorite. But I wanted it to stand out even more and served it with a lightly dressed salad of fresh herbs on top. It was perfect. Everyone can help themselves to how ever much of the salad they like, if they are adventurous and want a lot like me, or if they want a little less like R. This is exuberant summer in a tart.

Roasted Vegetable and Chevre Tart with Herb Salad

Serves 6

For the Pastry:

1 1/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary or chives

8 tbsp. cold butter, cut into smaller pieces

4-5 tbsp. ice water

1. Place the butter, flour, salt, and minced herb in a bowl and cut the ingredients together with a pastry cutter or with the tips of your fingers. Work until just combined and add the ice water one tbsp at a time, mixing gently with a fork, until the mixture comes together and doesn’t crumble when you pinch a piece together between thumb and index finger. Gather gently into a ball and flatten into a disk. Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

For the Filling:

1 small eggplant, washed and sliced into 1/4″ thick slices

1 small zucchini, washed and sliced into 14/” thick slices

1 red bell pepper, washed, seeded, and sliced into 6 pieces lengthwise

2 small heirloom tomatoes, washed and sliced in half lengthwise

3 tbsp. olive oil

200 g / 7 oz. fresh soft goat cheese

 sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Place the vegetables , tomatoes cut side up, on a roasting pan. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, using more if necessary but don’t drench the eggplant, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast them in the oven until them are golden and soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
2. Turn the oven heat down to 375°F/190°C. Remove pastry from the fridge and set onto a well floured work surface. With a rolling pin, roll pastry into a circle about 1/4″ thick. Gently fold the dough in half and lay over half of a 9″ removable bottom tart pan. Unfold the dough to cover the pan, fit the dough down into the pan, and trim off any excess around the edges. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork.
3. Crumble the goat cheese into the tart crust, making sure to distribute it evenly across the bottom of the pan.
4. Bake the tart shell in the oven until golden, about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven.
5. Arrange the roasted vegetables over the top of the tart shell.

For the Herb Salad:

1 1/2 c. mixed fresh herbs, such as chervil, dill, and chives, washed

1 tbsp. olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Prepare the herbs but chopping to large pieces, the size of baby lettuce leaves. Place them in a bowl and lightly dress with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, tossing gently with you fingertips to coat the herbs.
2. Pile the salad in the center of the roasted vegetable tart and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

xo,

A.